She's one of the most important storytellers in our history, but anti-blackness tried

to make her a sellout, but she was too quick for that.

She finessed the hell out of white money.

Talk about reparations.

This is Two Minute Black History, what you didn't learn in school.

Zora Neal Hurston remains one of the most prolific writers in history.

Much of what we know about Black Southern history, culture and community comes from her dedication

to get to the root of it.

But many didn't recognize her genius at first.

Hurston struggled to receive money for her research, and she couldn't write without funding.

At first, the only funding she received came from a wealthy white woman named Mrs. Mason,

but Hurston soon learned the consequences that came along with it.

Mrs. Mason dictated when Hurston could publish her work and, even more in theoryating, tried

to police the range of blackness that Hurston portrayed in her writings.

But Hurston didn't let this stop.

Determined to tell stories about the real black sell, Hurston took Mrs. Mason's notes

with a grain of salt and finessed the hell out of those dollars to research, write and publish

the rich legacy she left us with.

Anti-blackness wants us to believe we can only be successful if we receive validation from

white organizations.

Like Hurston, we should treat all white funding as reparations that were owed.

Let's reimagine how we can support our community so that no one has to rely on anti-black funding

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